I have just inherited an '07 BMW F650gs. WOO HOO! Unfotunately it sat in a garage for a year and needed some love. I tried without success to revive the old scorpion battery, so yesterday I bit the bullet and bought a new battery, some oil, and some seafoam in the hopes that I could coax the fuel in the tank at least fire up the bike. (the fuel actually didn't smell bad, so I had high hopes). This morning, after removing at least 250 torx srews, and replacing the battery, she fired RIGHT UP! :) :) :) took three starts to get her to stay running, but boy am I impressed. This is my first foray with a BMW, and with any adventure bike for that matter. I wandered around taking a good look at the bike, and noticed that there was excellent airflow out of the right tailpipe, but none from the left... hmmm.. odd. I started wondering if some critter had decided to make a home out of that muffler, so I grabbed my handy dandy flashlight to peek down inside and WTH? The tailpipe seems to be purposefully welded closed? Hmph... I followed it down and around to the front of the engine, where the header pipe is dutifully attached, and it was starting to glow a mild shade of red. I'm scratching my head here, is this normal? Come to find out that's the catalytic converter, disgused as a muffler, and according to this post http://faq.f650.com/FAQs/ExhaustFAQ.htm it may or may not be normal that my exhaust is glowing. As I mentioned before, the battery on the bike was BONE dead for months, so the reset option suggested has been done. What do you all think?

If it seems to be running fairly good do about three tanks of gas with Sea Foam in it. This should clean out the fuel system OK. Congratulations on the bike. And yes nothing coming out of the left muffler/cat is perfectly normal. RIDING it will keep the headers from glowing.

Be sure to check the tires as they could possibly be old and weather checked. Remember they are the only thing between you ass and the road.